Comparing the portrayal of #autism and #neurodiversity on TikTok: creators, content, and representation.

Abstract

Background: Social media is a significant source of information on health-related topics and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The public perception of ASD, as reflected on social media, can raise awareness but also increase stigma. This study examined ASD portrayal on TikTok, focusing on neurodiversity, content themes, creator identities, and the depiction of autistic individuals.

Materials and methods: This exploratory study analyzed 100 TikTok videos: the 50 most-watched for #autism and the 50 most-watched for both #autism and #neurodiversity. The study reviewed metadata and content using publicly available data.

Results: Videos from the #autism sample encompassed 97% of all views and primarily portrayed entertaining content. Neurodiversity videos were more educational and less popular. Creators and portrayed individuals were primarily white. Adult autistic individuals are more ferequently represented in the #neurodiversity sample (30%), but children sill appear frequently (30% in the # neurodiversity and 38% in the #autism sample). Healthcare professionals (HCPs) were absent in the autism sample but appeared in 32% of neurodiversity videos.

Conclusion: The portrayal of ASD differed widely in both samples. Both samples underrepresented ethnic minorities. As TikTok shapes public perception of ASD, HCPs should be aware of trending ASD-related content on TikTok in order to be able to combat misinformation.